After graduating in 1999, I completed the CELTA course and moved to Warsaw for my first teaching job.  I loved the EFL classroom from the moment I stepped into it and I haven’t looked back since.  In 2002, I finished the Trinity Dip TESOL and moved into EFL management.  After travelling the globe, I returned to Ireland and became an ESOL lecturer in a college and recently became a CELTA teacher trainer, which has been my career long ambition.

Why did you become a TEFL trainer?

Peer training and observations were part and parcel of my teaching career and becoming a TEFL trainer gave me the opportunity to formalise the experience and develop the skills of future EFL tutors.  It is fulfilling to observe trainees growing in confidence as they deliver their newly acquired knowledge.

Where have you taught before?

I have taught in Poland, Australia, Taiwan, Ireland and the UK.

If you could go and work anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I would love to return to Asia with my family one day.

How did you find your first course in Belfast recently?

The course was fantastic and I had a great weekend with a bunch of very interesting trainees.  It was incredible how supportive they were to each other and how positive they found the whole experience.  The course flew by and each and every trainee was looking forward to embarking on their new careers.

What is your favourite part of the course?

I really enjoyed the creativity of the lesson plans and some trainees even came up with ideas that I would use in my own teaching, which was fabulous.  I loved how their confidence grew between teaching on the Saturday compared with the Sunday and they also found the teaching invaluable.

Do you have a favourite group to work with?

I find diverse groups really interesting as I enjoy the variety of skills and personalities that they bring to the course.

What are your future plans?

I am going to concentrate on teacher training for the next few years and possibly move into EFL management again.  I am not sure if I will remain in the UK but as I have a young family, I am somewhat restricted for the foreseeable future.

Any websites you can recommend for job hunters?

www.tefl.com

www.guardian.co.uk

And finally...

Teaching English to speakers of other languages is a fantastic career choice as well as being a passport to the world.  It is an opportunity open to anyone of any age and background, and it is particularly popular with those wishing to see the world and fund their travels through teaching.